TICKFAW - “Where eagles take flight” is our Natalbany Elementary School's motto. Each year, their “open house” encourages their students to do exactly that.

Even with the expanded parking lots, it was tough to find a space as so many parents and children came out that night to meet and greet our teachers.

Walking to the front steps, it was easy to spot the new overhang built for our rainy day pickups.

No longer in the gym, the kids can easily get to and from the bus right on schedule.

Natalbany's open house welcomed all in the front foyer.

Our Tangipahoa Parish Health and Hospitals graciously donated pencils and binder bags for each student who entered.

Coach Foster greeted families at the entrance of the school halls, and it appears the students enjoyed welcoming him into their lives, as much as he welcomed them in his own.

Always smiling, school PrincipalJoann Whitmer shook hands with parents and returned many a hug to students who not walked but ran to hug her hello. Inside, several young men from SLU and Delta Tau Delta Fraternity had great news for us.

They have adopted our Natalbany school for their “Koins 4 Kids” program, designed to help raise money for the schools extra materiel. Coin collectors have been placed around the city and even at our open house that night.

Each year, the light blue hallways are fresh and decorated with writings, arts, and crafts from each class.

From crayon-created apples with accordion legs, to the life cycle of butterflies, I love how each learning process is given a creative boost to encourage our children's learning even more so.

The Natalbany School is also gearing up for its own “Parent Command Center” located online at www.tangis chools.org. Once launched, it will enable parents to view their child's progress at any time.

More information for the website will be sent home soon for parents. The Parent Command Center is a gateway into the millenium that can keep our us on the same page daily.

Many thanks to our school officials and Loranger Middle School for helping pilot this program for our own benefit.

And if there's one thing our fifth-grade students look forward to each year, it would be Deputy Bud Cason from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's office and his DARE program. Since 1988, Deputy Bud and the DARE program have gained an entire generation of children parishwide.

We are lucky to have Deputy Bud. But in true humbleness, Deputy Bud tells his “children” that it's really he who is the lucky one.

I have all confidence that our Natalbany eagles will soar greatly into this world, given the encouragement from parents and teachers together.

I especially enjoy witnessing the eagle who flies back home, if only for a moment.

I was fortunate to witness former Natalbany student Roy Strahan come back to nest and visit mother eagles Sondra Hunt and Tara Slaton.

Back in fifth grade, Roy had just gotten braces that caused him some painful moments when frequently tightened. Fortunately for Roy, he had some pretty awesome teachers at Natalbany who understood his dilemma and had the heart and know-how to help make his grade school years the successful ones they should be.

So here Roy stood that evening, four years later. A freshman in high school now, he's also an athlete, and has a perfect smile to boot.

With only a moment to spare, this young man was not about to leave the school until able to greet his former fifth-grade teachers.

Roy showed that night that it's more than an “open house” for us. In Roy, that's strength. That's dignity.

That's a true eagle. And no great mystery that it was at our Natalbany School that he learned to take flight.

Contact Alissa at 542-4744 or vilardofamily@charter.net